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Monday, September 18, 2017

Half-a-Dozen Projects After Irma

Though Irma came through our area as a category 1 hurricane, and by the time she reached us the eye was breaking up, we still felt the 70-80 mph winds of the eye wall. Lots of palms were "trimmed" in the process. We've been seeing lots of this - downed palm fronds.

It will be several weeks until the piles of debris have been picked up. 

In my sewing room, it's business as usual. During the past six days I've had my hands on a half-dozen different projects.

This is everything receiving attention lately.

I've completed the first and second rounds of the Bernina Zen Chic Triangle Quilt Along. It's a good along because I can work from my stash and the pace is very slow. Triangles are all 60-degrees.
Bernina Zen Chic QAL - first set of triangles
Bernina Zen Chic QAL - second set of triangles
I've been playing with a couple of new-to-me rulers. This one is the four-inch Triangle in Square ruler by Bloc Loc

The other is the Classic Curves ruler by Color Girl Quilts

Combining the shapes each ruler creates into a cohesive quilt design is going slowly. Right now, it's a mishmash of solids in all colors. It will be a work in progress for a while.

LindaNova is coming along slowly... more and more slowly as it's now 30" in diameter. 

I've been choosing and prepping fabrics for the next rounds that I'll continue to make in a combination of prints and solids.

I've cut out a baby quilt that's a freebie pattern from the Moda Bake Shop.

Urban Trek, a quilt top finished in May has been pin-basted. I'm looking forward to quilting it, as after watching season two of Fresh Quilting TV, I've been inspired (episodes 6 and 7)! Now I know exactly what I want to quilt - a combination of grid-based FMQ, and big stitch hand quilting with perle cotton. 

I've also cut out fabrics to make four Dog Gone Cute blocks. You see, my long-time blogger-friend Karen (KaHolly) has asked for these blocks for her birthday this Wednesday, September 20. She'll accept blocks into November, but wants to make them into quilts to give to Second Chance Farms, a pet animal rescue facility in Granbury, Texas that stepped up to accept pets during Hurricane Harvey.

If you're interested in helping out, read more here on Karen's blog post

All this sewing room time has been to prepare for an upcoming quilt retreat. If you've been on a retreat, you know how that goes. It takes planning ahead to have the fabrics, supplies, and tools ready for several days of non-stop sewing. And in this case, retreat is a whole week! Yep, seven days and seven nights! I'm pilin' on the projects so as not to waste a single moment of uninterrupted sewing days that lie ahead. Me and five friends are gonna get to know each other really well! 

And surprise of surprises, I've been in the kitchen too. It's Dan who's cooking the meals, but I've begun contributing by baking bread. We both like sourdough, so I made and nurtured a starter. This is the second pair of twin loaves I've baked. 

The texture is perfect, but the sourdough flavor hasn't fully developed. The starter needs more aging. I'll keep working on it.

I don't think there's any need to explain this cartoon, but her name is Maria.

During my morning prayer time, it came to my awareness that the names of our recent hurricanes spell something special - H.I.M. Think He's trying to point us to someone? Linda

10 comments:

  1. Love all the retreat prep - They are the best, aren't they!?

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  2. I can't believe, I've never sewn 60 degree triangles, maybe I need to check out the sew along. All those aquas are so nice together.
    I just make Dog #5 for a swap...turned out pretty dog gone cute!
    Have fun at your retreat!

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  3. I love bread, I love the Aqua triangles, and the circles and triangle quilt. You are busy.
    I hate hurricanes, and this is a bad year for them, it seems. I hope that Maria does not make it to the US. Stay prepared and Safe.

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  4. Your busy- ness makes me dizzy Linda! All your projects are wonderful! The aqua triangles are fabulous as is the solids one on your design wall! I am itching to be stitching!!!

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  5. Great eye candy there, with so many pretty colours to dazzle! Coincidentally, I bought the Classic Curves Ruler myself last month, but haven't had the chance to try it out yet. Maybe after my current dramas :-)

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  6. You have been SO busy!!! Looks like so much fun. I love all the colorful work you do, bright and cheer-full.
    I've never done a retreat but would love to do it someday.
    I got a new to me KitchenAid from my daughter-in-law and so far cookies are the only items I've made but bread is on the horizon!!!
    Have a lovely time at the retreat!!! Praying that Maria heads out to the ocean.

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  7. Gosh, you are busy! I have trouble focussing sometimes when I go into the sewing room and find myself being pulled in several directions by projects calling my name!

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  8. Couple things- when I first heard about Maria, the Sound of Music 'What do you do about a girl named Maria?' started playing in my head.
    Second, I LOVE my flying geese bloc loc. I was a little hesitant because of the price, but it is worth every penny!
    What happened to the curvy sphere looking quilt? That is a terrible description, but I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.
    Praying for you guys.
    I guess I should have said a 'few' things.

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  9. Phew- Irma! We had one loooong week here without power until Saturday night. Our daughter in Ocala got her power back earlier in the week, so I stayed overnight at her place Thurs. and Fri. nights. You have lots of fun projects underway for sure! Love all the color. LindaNova looks to be a real piecing and mental challenge! Have a wonderful time at retreat. We have one coming up next week- and I know what you mean about prep. I always feel as if I'm packing and taking my entire sewing room with me.

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  10. Ah, you are amazing! I love that you are lining up projects for your retreat, but I think that may be a good idea for us, generally. It would certainly get us over the hump of "what do I do now?" when given a few extra minutes in our sewing rooms. Love all these projects!

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